ORLANDO, Florida – Lydia Ko studied the hole locations on Thursday night and thought Round 2 at her home course might be a tougher test. A number of back pins on the back nine (her front) made for a longer day.
In the end, she was pleased with a 3-under 69, which proved good enough to keep her atop the leaderboard through two rounds of the Gainbridge LPGA. Ko had considered skipping this event after having surgery in the offseason to correct a deviated septum. She hadn’t gotten the prep work done that she felt she needed. But when the event moved to Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, where Ko resides, it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
“There was a stretch of a few holes where I couldn’t really hit any tee shot on the fairways,” said Ko, “but I think it was pretty solid and I’m happy to have shot 3 under.
“I think it’s a lot of like positive things going into the weekend.”
Gainbridge LPGA: Leaderboard
The 15-time tour winner is looking to win for the first time since April 2018 at the LPGA Mediheal Championship.
Ko’s 10-under 134 puts her one shot ahead of Nelly Korda, who made four birdies in her last nine holes to shoot 68.
“I just made a little too many mistakes on my front nine,” said Korda. “And it was weird, I mean, I hit solid shots. They just went over the green. You kind of screw yourself a little.”
While two of the biggest names in the game today top the LPGA board, much attention has been paid down toward the cut line where 50-year-old Annika Sorenstam, a longtime Nona resident, sits at 2 over. The 10-time major winner is looking to play the weekend in her first LPGA start since 2008.
“It’s just a bonus, it really is,” said Sorenstam of potentially playing the weekend. “There is nothing you can do at this point. I’m going to grab a nice lunch and hang out with some friends and family and we’ll see happens.”